An innovative component of the GHC model is the pairing of an international fellow with a fellow from the host country within the same placement organization. Throughout the fellowship year, the co-fellow pair collaborates and supports each other, ideally creating lasting bonds and building each other’s capacity and skills. I feel so fortunate to have Thandie as my co-fellow, and she has been one of the most integral parts of my experience here in Zambia.
Thandie and I asked each other a series of questions to reflect on our GHC experience as a co-fellow pair over the last 9 months. The following are Thandie’s responses to my questions.
1) What have you enjoyed the most about the GHC fellowship?
The GHC fellowship experience has been to me God sent. When I say fellowship for the next few sentences, I am making reference to the GHC Zambia group of 12. The start of my fellowship year was difficult for me because of a family experience that changed our lives as a family in the blink of an eye. It was the least of my expectations that people with whom I, at the time, had no relationship to write home about would be there for me and be a pillar of strength when I almost had none of my own. Being a part of a group with such compassion and love makes me happy and proud to be a GHC fellow and it is my hope that as I continue to work towards health equity for all in my life post my fellowship year, I too will have compassion and love for people that I meet where life takes me like the Zambia team had towards me.
2) What has been the best part of the co-fellow relationship?
Friendship has definitely been the best part of my co-fellow relationship. Stephanie and I are friends not only in the office but outside the office too. We share and brainstorm work place challenges together, and coming into the placement organization together was definitely a plus towards finding my feet and settling into the new working environment. The best part about my friendship with Stephanie is that it goes beyond the workplace. If I didn’t know any better I would swear we have been friends a lot longer than just 9 months.
The GHC co-fellow model is the best.
3) What has been the most challenging part of the co-fellow relationship?
Having been close to my family my whole life, I cannot imagine how I would manage being away from them for a long period of time. That said, the most challenging part of the co-fellow relationship has been seeing her on the days when she is homesick.
4) What has been the most surprising thing you have learned from your co-fellow?
That all Korean babies are born with a birth mark on their bum that fades away as they grow older.
5) What has been the most memorable experience you have shared with your co-fellow?
This has to be my masters program graduate forum presentation. The week leading up to the Friday of my presentation, I was incredibly stressed and I somehow managed to convince myself that everything I had done was substandard and this made me very nervous for my presentation. Like every other time I had to give a presentation, I was overreacting and the session was a lot better than I had envisioned. Having Stephanie present at my presentation and seeing her eye of approval when I was done was very nice.
6) What do you like most about your co-fellow?
I like that she is smart and very thorough when presented with a problem/ situation. Every time I talk over something with her, personal or work related, more often than not she manages to help me see the problem/situation from a different perspective and that puts me in a better position to make a decision.
Click here for part 2 of Stephanie and Thandiwe’s co-fellow check in!